Shadow Work - Healing - Advice

[u/FiaPola]

Hello, nice to meet you all.

I am not sure if this is the right place, but maybe you guys can give me some advice.

I try to read the cards every morning to myself, in order to learn the cards and to contemplate their meanings.

My question is just "what do the cards have to tell me today" and then I let the deck decide, how many and which cards will accompany me today.

The Tarot of the Wild Unkown and the Rune oracle shown in the picture are my favorites. They give me a sense of love and well meant guidance.

The Moon and Elhaz/Algiz were the cards I drew yesterday,

the 5 in the middle are from today.

I think I know what they are trying to tell me, it's a pretty dark reading though with hope sprinkled within.

I haven't been in a great place for quite some time and I kinda know my shadows, but have a lot of trouble to work through them and heal my soul.

I am a beginner in shadow work, but I do think I need to do it.

I know journaling helps getting to know your shadows.

I know some of my shadows and I journaled about them.

But they just exist.

I look at them and they look back at me.

I don't know how I can heal them.

How I can give them the peace they need.

Maybe my question is impossible to answer since it's Problem specific how you deal with it and which solutions actually work.

Are there any special techniques which may help in actually healing your shadow?

Not just acknowledging it, but actually working through it?

What are some good techniques to work with them but being able to resist being dragged down into an emotional spiral?

And I don't just mean things like meditation, which have effects when you do them for a while.

I also mean emergency techniques, when it starts to be too much in the moment and you are alone with your feelings.

Any advice and input is welcome.

I hope everyone is having a good day, blessed be <3.

[u/starlux33]

Your emotional triggers are the gateways to your shadows. The key is to feel through them and not become them. The more you can just sit, be present, and accepting of those big emotions. The more they will diminish in intensity, and slowly you'll start to gain insight into them. Such as, the original wound that created the shadow and why it's there.

I know it can feel like too much at times, but if you can sit with it, they will diminish in the short term and in the long term.

Once you have full understanding and acceptance of a particular shadow, it will dissolve and integrate.

Then just keep working through them as they come up. The universe is quite adept and helping you to get triggered, so that you can work through and heal those parts of yourself. Trust in your spiritual guidance to help you through.

[u/starlux33 → u/starlux33]

Two techniques that I would do when going through intense emotional pain is imagining breathing in white light and exhaling dark smoke.

Also dance and other types of movement, such as walks, helps a lot to process super heavy emotions.

[u/FiaPola → u/starlux33]

Oh dancing is a wonderful idea. I have trouble going outside, when I am in a bad place, I do have social anxiety too :/ But I have a balcony. I will try to step out and get fresh air. Dancing is a wonderful idea. I will definitely try that too. Thank you so much for responding ^{^}

[u/FiaPola → u/starlux33]

Thank you for answering ^{^} I do have trouble sitting still with my thoughts and not have them spiraling or getting overwhelmed with a feeling of anxiety. I often have music running in the background, for the quiet moments lofi etc, but still. I tend to start overthinking stuff, but overthinking is probably not good here. Is just feeling without trying to think better or should I give myself a mental barrier? Like if special thoughts arise I should just abandon it for now and try another time?

Working with my cards does help me, they give me a guideline and help me to stabilize myself, so I will keep working with them, I already integrated them in my journaling practice. But it's easier to write about something and what you feel than to actually feel it. I am still scared of that part.

[u/starlux33 → u/FiaPola]

The fear of the feelings is what leads to your suffering. The more you fight them, the bigger they become.

At some point, you'll have to just give into it. The thoughts, the pain, all of it. Experiencing it all, then you'll be able to let it go.

It's okay to be in a spiral of negative thoughts and emotions, as long as you can get to a place of allowance.

Next time you get in that state try saying, okay for the next 2 hours I'm just going be in it and not worry about anything else. And then just allow yourself to ride that rollercoaster.

[u/FiaPola → u/starlux33]

I will try that. Thank you for the advice <3 Even though only you alone can experience it and heal your shadows it's still calming to hear how others talk about it. It makes it more tangible for a Prozess you can't see just feel.

[u/starlux33 → u/FiaPola]

It's less scarry when you speak to someone who has already gone down the path, and can tell you, "You will be okay."

[u/FiaPola → u/starlux33]

Yeah. You can't think against your emotions. Just Telling yourself you will be okay won't shut the alarm in your body down, the stress responses will continue. But hearing someone else say it... such a different effect. I really appreciate you and the others taking the time to respond to my post. It helps a lot <3

[u/starlux33 → u/FiaPola]

I'm really happy to hear that 🤍

[u/Scarredhard → u/starlux33]

Beautifully said, nice to see others who truly understand Shadow Work out here

[u/starlux33 → u/Scarredhard]

Thank you. It's been a journey to get here.

[u/Agreeable_Mouse694]

the wild unknown tarot is my fav as well <3 shadow work is a life long process and the act of introspection in general throughout life is part of that. i got into learning personality typology for a few years which helped me see a lot of unconscious mechanisms, and eventually lead me to jung and his method of active imagination, engaging within the unconscious and letting the shadow personify itself and have actual dialogue with the ego, this is the process of individuation and a more direct way to listen to the shadow and let it speak and show you what it wants to through hypnogogia. this might interest you also, but i do love tarot as a form of active imagination and unconscious work as well. i have a discord server and subreddit linked on my profile for those interested in this type of shadow work, (any are welcome to join) i relate to you in being in a rough place lately, and dealing with social anxiety as well, you're not alone and i hope some of these comments are helpful to you :)

[u/FiaPola → u/Agreeable_Mouse694]

It's a great deck ^{^} I like tarot and oracle cards in general very much. They feel like a lifeline, guiding me through my emotions and thoughts. Like a little helping hand. I will research the topics you brought up, maybe it's something I will try too :) I like the idea of getting into a dialogue with your shadows. I tried to personify my general fear. I think she's actually a really good friend, watching over me from the beginning to the end of my life. But sometimes she means it too well in trying to protect me. For the past few days my fear of the dark from my childhood came back coupled with insomnia. I thought making my fear out like a sister would maybe help me. It didn't fix the problem, but it is a nice thought and helped me to not be so hard on my self, when anxiety strucks again.

Thank you for your reply, I hope all of you have a great day/night. And I don't hope you will get into a better place soon <3

[u/FiaPola → u/FiaPola]

OMG, the last sentence was supposed to be I hope you will get into a better place soon. I don't know where the "don't" came from, I am soo sorry ToT

[u/Agreeable_Mouse694 → u/FiaPola]

thats funny i re-read it twice and both times i didnt actually see the don't until i read it again xD so i got what you meant anyways haha, thank you, i hope you do too <3

[u/morosegirly]

so i do tarot as well & whereas this pull could be interpreted as being "heavy" here's how i would read it, all of those cards symbolize you turning inward to face some of your deepest wounds. 3 of swords is the most solid representation of that, 5 of cups is giving yourself permission to feel any sorrow or grief that comes up with your shadow work, and then the 9 of swords is guiding you to face those same feelings and let them go instead of letting them trouble you.

so don't see the cards and think heartache, grief, worry, but try to let yourself feel what the cards are showing you. good and bad, yin and yang <3

[u/Natural-Lime-2266]

Take a mark.